State Representative, 20th District - Rep. Yoder is a Kansas State Representative, serving the people of the 20th District, which includes Overland Park and Leawood, both suburbs of Kansas City.  Rep. Yoder is in his fourth term and is currently the Chair of the House Appropriations Committee where he is responsible for allocating over $13 Billion in state revenue to public schools, universities, prisons, social services and highways. 

Political & Leadership Experience -  As Chairman of the powerful 23-member House Appropriations Committee, Rep. Yoder has received recognition for leading the state through one of the greatest fiscal challenges in modern history. He is now serving his seventh year on the Judiciary Committee. He has previously served on the Kansas Sentencing Commission and for two years chaired the House General Government Budget Committee. 

Awards & Recognition - In 2009 Rep. Yoder was given the "Intergovernmental Leadership Award" by the Kansas League of Municipalities for his work in resolving the state's fiscal crisis.  He currently has a 100% voting record with the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and has a "pro-jobs" rating with the Kansas Chamber of Commerce.  In 2008 he was endorsed for re-election by the Kansas Association of School Boards E-PAC, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the Kansas Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, Kansans for Life and received an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association. In 2003, he was recognized by the Kansas Disability Caucus with an award for "courageous leadership to address the need to fund programs for people with disabilities."

Legislative Accomplishments -  Rep. Yoder is a noted leader in fiscal responsibility, cutting more spending than any other Appropriations Chair in Kansas history. He was the lead sponsor of a bill to place a debt ceiling on Kansas borrowing which passed the House with an overwhelming majority. He has successfully advocated for a public education local spending authority, increasing local control for Shawnee Mission and Blue Valley School Districts by over 44%.  He is a champion for the disabled, pushing for support for home-based care.  He was a supporter of Kelsey's law to crack down on child sexual abuse.

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Family - Rep. Yoder lives in Overland Park with his wife Brooke.  In the greater metro area he is also blessed with with his two sisters and three nieces and one nephew.  His mother and father both continue to reside in Hutchinson, Ks along with his 98.5 year old grandmother. 

Youth -  Rep. Yoder is a fifth-generation Kansan who grew up on a grain and livestock farm near Yoder, Kansas. He attended Haven Grade School and then Hutchinson High School, both public schools, graduating in 1994. In high school he was active in debate and forensics, winning the 6A State Debate Championship in 1994. He also played varsity tennis and was a member of the National Honor Society.

College - In the fall of 1994, Rep. Yoder enrolled at the University of Kansas and majored in Political Science and English, graduating in 1999 with Honors. While at KU he was active in campus leadership serving as KU Student Body President. He also served as president of both the Phi Alpha Delta pre-law society and the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity. He was a member of the Order of Omega and Pi Sigma Alpha honor societies. Rep. Yoder also served as President of the Kansas Union Memorial Corporation Board of Directors and as member of the KU Athletics Corporation Board of Directors.

Rep. Yoder was the recipient of leadership awards while at KU including the Rusty Leffel Concerned Student Award in 1999, Hilltopper Award in 1999, E.X.C.E.L. Award in 1998, Greek Senior of the Year Award in 1998, Outstanding IFC leader award in 1998 and was a finalist for Lambda Chi Alpha National member of the year award in 1999.

Law School - Rep. Yoder entered the University of Kansas School of Law in the fall of 1999. He received his Juris Doctor in the spring of 2002. While at KU Law, he served two years as the Student Bar Association President, and was also a member of the Board of Governors and the Honor Code Committee. Upon graduation, he received the “ Class of 1949 Award” recognizing service and leadership.

Community and Organization Involvement – Rep. Yoder is active in several community organizations including the Overland Park Rotary Club and the Johnson County Bar Association.  Rep. Yoder has been elected twice to the Johnson County Bar Association Board of Directors. He is currently an elected member of the Board of Directors of the Kansas City University of Kansas Alumni Association and he was also elected as President of the Lambda Chi Alpha Corporation Board at KU. 

In 2004, he joined the American Council of Young Political Leaders(ACYPL), marked by a two week trip to the Russian Federation for a leadership exchange.  In 2005, he participated in the 15^th annual New Generation seminar in Bangkok, Thailand and Hong Kong, China, examining health care issues in the Asian-Pacific region. In 2009, he participated in the Young Leaders Forum in Xiamen, China. Rep. Yoder is a graduate of Leadership Kansas, sponsored by the Kansas Chamber. He is an active member of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), the American Legislative Exchange Council(ALEC), and the Council of State Governments(CSG), serving on the CSG Finance Council.

Career Experience – Rep. Yoder was admitted to Kansas Bar in August of 2002. In 2003, he became an associate at one of the oldest law firms in Johnson County, Speer & Holliday, LLP in Olathe(www.speerholliday.com). He became a partner in April of 2005 and represents a variety of clients in business, banking and real estate. He has also worked as a Special Assistant in the Department of Defense in the office of Counternarcotics in Washington, D.C. Previously, in 2000 and 2001, Rep. Yoder worked as a law clerk at Payne & Jones, LLP an Overland Park Law Firm. He was also an intern for State Senator David Adkins in the Kansas House and Senate